Meet the Founding Dean of the Dina Recanati School of Medicine- Prof. Arnon Afek

Meet Prof. Arnon Afek, the founding dean and the Prof. Cecil Taitz Academic Chair in the Field of Anatomy at the Dina Recanati School of Medicine.

Prof. Afek is also the Deputy Director General of The Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer. Prof. Afek has served as the Director General of the Ministry of Health and served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Health Division of the OECD. In his position at the Ministry of Health, Prof. Afek promoted work that led to the realization of the reforms in mental health, the national programs for the prevention and treatment of diabetes and stroke, and the government's decision to establish another hospital in Beer Sheva. Professor Afek serves in the army reserves as a member of the Helsinki Committee of the IDF Medical Corps with the rank of Colonel (Res.). In his roles in the Israel Defense Forces, Professor Afek advanced the change in the medical screening approach and the encouragement of voluntary military service. For his contribution to the IDF and the country in his military positions, he was awarded the Chief of ATL (Technology and Logistics Division) award for military medicine.

Prof. Afek holds a Doctor of Medicine MD degree from the Hebrew University, and a Master's degree in Health Systems Management MHA from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (with honors). He is an expert in pathological anatomy and in medical administration.

He is a graduate of the Wexner Senior Program at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. His research studies the relationship between obesity and other risk factors and morbidity in cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer among teenagers, and the study of the immunopathogenesis of atherosclerosis. He is also involved in the study of history, art, and ethics in medicine.

Prof. Afek has published over 200 articles in the international medical press, including JAMA, Lancet, NEJM, and Circulation.

Prof. Afek shared, "The Dina Recanati School of Medicine will educate the doctors of the future. The school collaborates with the leading medical institutions in Israel: Rabin, Schneider and Sheba Medical Centers, Maccabi Health Services, and Clalit כללית."

He added, "I am married to Limor, a dentist, father to Shahar and Oren, and last year I won the most precious title of all, 'Ronnie's grandfather'."

His message to the students: "Reichman University is the university of the future, it will allow you to learn from each other and from the faculty about the medicine of the future and fulfill your dreams."